What the 'Game of Thrones' Cast Looks Like in Real Life

A lot about Game of Thrones blows my mind: the plot lines, yes, but also the sets, the special effects, the costumes, and the makeup—especially those last two elements of the show, which kicks off its fifth season Sunday night. Turning pale, brunette Emilia Clarke into a sun-kissed, platinum blond Daenerys Targaryen? Making "The Hound" look like a gnarled, scary burn victim? Some of that stuff is straight-up wizardry. So here, we celebrate it by rounding up images of our favorite, current GoT cast members and juxtaposing them with what the actor looks like in real life. (Oh, and then we rank them according to how dramatic the transformation is— because really, how much fun would it be if we didn't?)

Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)

Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey)

Transformation on a 1 to 10 scale, 10 being the most drastic: 9. Cersei's got the looks of a sweet fairy tale princess and the heart of a frozen b*tch; Lena, with her jet black hair, avant-garde hairstyles, and bicep tattoo, looks like one tough lady...but is probably a very nice woman, obviously.